Windows desktop app's sidebar icons vanish, conversations empty, and login button does nothing after logout (browser works fine)

ChatGPT Bugs
22

Same problem here:
Windows 11 Pro 25H2
Build 26200.8737
Feature Pack 1000.26100.334.0
App Version: Windows Desktop App v1.2026.133.0

As described by other users, since yesterday the app stopped working. It didn’t load the chats; it didn’t allow to logout. I tried to reset the memory, empty the cache, and uninstall-reinstall the app, but at that point the login button stopped working. It briefly loads the Italian interface but then suddenly switch to the English version.
All the buttons don’t work beside the link to the pricing, and few others link to the website.
From the web interface, everything seems working fine.

23

same issue, browser works, Windows app blank, login button does nothing after reset

24

Summary

The latest ChatGPT Windows Desktop App is unusable on Windows 10 22H2.

After a completely fresh installation, clicking Log in, Sign up, Settings, or Help produces absolutely no response.

The issue has been reproduced on two independent Windows 10 22H2 computers.

The same ChatGPT Plus account works normally in both the browser and Android app.

Environment

Operating System

  • Windows 10 Pro 22H2 (64-bit)

Affected Devices

  • Desktop PC

  • Notebook PC

Both computers exhibit exactly the same behavior.

Application

  • Latest ChatGPT Windows Desktop App downloaded from the official ChatGPT website.

Account

  • ChatGPT Plus subscriber

  • Browser and Android app work correctly using the same account.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Download the latest ChatGPT Windows Desktop App from the official website.

  2. Install the application.

  3. Launch the application.

  4. Click Log in.

  5. Click Sign up.

  6. Click Settings.

  7. Click Help.

Expected Behavior

Each item should respond normally.

  • Log in should start the authentication process.

  • Sign up should start the account creation process.

  • Settings should open the Settings window.

  • Help should open the Help Center.

Actual Behavior

Nothing happens.

No new window.

No browser.

No authentication dialog.

No loading indicator.

No error message.

The application simply ignores every click.

Troubleshooting Performed

The following actions have all been completed without resolving the issue:

  • Restart Windows

  • Repair the application

  • Reset the application

  • Uninstall the application

  • Reinstall the latest version from the official website

  • Fresh installation on a second Windows 10 22H2 computer

The issue remains identical on both systems.

Comparison

Browser Version (Chrome)

Works normally.

  • Login successful

  • ChatGPT Plus available

  • Conversations available

  • Voice input works correctly

Android App

Works normally.

  • Login successful

  • Same account

  • Same subscription

Windows Desktop App

Fails immediately after installation.

  • Log in: No response

  • Sign up: No response

  • Settings: No response

  • Help: No response

Additional Information

Before reinstalling, the application also showed:

  • Blank conversation area

  • Settings button not responding

After reinstalling:

  • The blank conversation issue disappeared.

  • However, Log in, Sign up, Settings, and Help remain completely unresponsive.

The issue has been reproduced on two independent Windows 10 22H2 computers immediately after a completely fresh installation.

This strongly suggests the issue is not caused by corrupted local cache, damaged installation, or a single computer configuration.

The browser version and Android app continue to function normally using the same ChatGPT Plus account, indicating the problem appears to be isolated to the current Windows Desktop App.

Severity

High

The Windows Desktop App cannot be used because users are unable to start the authentication process or access essential functions after installation.

Request

Could the engineering team please investigate whether this is a regression affecting the current Windows Desktop App on Windows 10 22H2?

If additional diagnostic information, logs, screenshots, or testing are required, I would be happy to provide them.

26

I asked the desktop app to generate an image for me but then everything went black as far as conversations on the app. I tried to reload the app to get my conversations back, no luck. I tried logging out to log back in, big mistake. Because now it won’t even bring me to the log in page. Clicking log in does nothing on the app. Is it just me or is this problem happening to others?

27

Having an identical issue here, also just posted a thread about it.

28

I also got the same issue for the desktop app. No log in page.
I tried to reinstall and reload several time, but No log in page.
ChatGPT web works fine.

29

Same here. Windows 11 App.

  • Generated an image, tried downloading the image, did not work
  • All my conversations went black (empty)
  • Tried to log off / log on, logging off worked but can’t log in the “Log in” button does nothing
  • And the language of the interface switched
  • Reset the app, desinstalled/reinstalled, reinstalled Edge (maybe an issue with Webview)
  • ChatGPT on the browser is fine

So far I’m stuck, it’s odd.

30

Same here. Exactly the same issue.

32

I experienced the same issue on the Windows desktop app.

Before I got logged out, the app had already stopped working correctly:

  • my chat history would not load,
  • image uploads were no longer working.

I then used Windows Settings → Apps → ChatGPT → Advanced options → Reset to try to fix it. After the reset, I was logged out as expected, but now I cannot log back in.

The “Log in” button does absolutely nothing when clicked. No browser opens, no loading indicator appears, and there is no error message.

The same ChatGPT account works perfectly in my web browser, so this seems to be an issue specific to the Windows desktop app rather than my account.

33

I have the same issue. Any solution? How can I report the issue to Open AI?

34

I cannot log in to the ChatGPT Windows desktop app. When I click “Log in”, nothing happens. No browser opens, no error message appears, and the button seems unresponsive.

The same account works normally on chatgpt.com in Chrome/Edge.

I have tried:

  • Reinstalling the ChatGPT Windows app
  • Resetting/repairing the app in Windows Settings
  • Restarting Windows
  • Testing VPN/proxy on and off
  • Checking that web login works

Device: Windows PC
Region: Singapore
Plan: Plus
Date/time: June 27, 2026, Singapore time

36

Summary

The Windows ChatGPT Desktop app became unusable after a rendering failure and now cannot be logged into after reinstalling.

Environment

  • ChatGPT Desktop: 1.2026.133.0

  • Windows 11 Enterprise 25H2

  • OS Build: 26200.8655

  • Microsoft Edge reinstalled

  • Web version works correctly

  • ChatGPT Plus account

Initial issue

  1. Started a new conversation.

  2. Sent a prompt.

  3. The conversation was created successfully.

  4. The conversation received an automatic title.

  5. The assistant response never appeared.

  6. The conversation remained empty except for the title.

After troubleshooting

I performed:

  • Repair

  • Reset

  • Complete reinstall

  • Reinstalled Microsoft Edge

  • Rebooted Windows

After reinstalling, the application opened normally but the Log in and Sign up buttons stopped working completely.

Current behaviour

  • The application starts.

  • UI loads normally.

  • Menus and other controls work.

  • Only Log in and Sign up do nothing when clicked.

  • The browser version at https://chatgpt.com works normally with the same account.

Windows Event Viewer

Application Hang:

  • Event ID: 1002

  • HangType: Quiesce

  • Process: ChatGPT.exe

  • Version: 1.2026.133.0

The application does not crash but becomes unresponsive during the authentication flow.

Additional information

I also verified:

  • HTTPS URL handling works.

  • Default browser works.

  • OAuth page can be opened manually.

  • WebView2 Runtime reports itself as already installed.

  • Edge Update reports:
    Installation failed. The Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime is already installed for the system.

  • Reinstalling Edge did not resolve the problem.

Expected behaviour

  • Responses should render normally.

  • After reinstall, the Login button should start the authentication flow.

Actual behaviour

  • Responses stopped rendering.

  • After reinstall, Login and Sign up no longer perform any action.

38

Same exact scenario here. Made all the same attempts. Validated the same stuff. Have no problem with web app. Local windows app only is issue. I haven’t been able to prove it, but it seems like an authentication issue.

40

Hey everyone, Thank you for flagging the issue. Can someone please open a support request at support@openai.com and share exact time (including timezone) when they face this issue plus your account details username for the account you are trying to access. This will help us identify the logs on our end. Once we have at least 1 request we can get this resolved. Thanks again!

41

Please share the case id and case subject here once you submit the support request with us! thank you…

42

Same problem! i tried to uninstall the app on windows 11 but still if clicking login nothing happens! what’s going on?

43

Exactly SAME trouble and diagnostics ran (reinstall, check webview2, dism restore & sfc…) but in Windows 11 25H2 build 26200.8655.

Additional note : At startup, ChatGPT appears briefly in french (my country is France) then return to english language…

44

The same issue has been occurring for the past 9 hours. I have sent details of the problem to support multiple times, but I have not received a sincere response.

45

One thing I would add to your community post

Since you’ve now tested the Windows update:

Update: Installed Windows 11 Preview Update KB5095093 (Build 26200.8737). The issue is unchanged. Browser version still works. Desktop app still renders but mouse clicks and keyboard activation do not work, while Tab navigation still moves focus between controls.

That’s valuable because it prevents other users from spending time installing the update in the hope that it fixes the problem.